The defers are already unfilled, and those who want personal preventive equipment (PPE) the most will be feeling the special effects. Fear and panic are causing members of the public to buying and supply masks and other PPE supplies, and people are giving top dollar for them.

Late last week the World Health Organization (WHO) released Temporary Guidance for the Rational use of personal protective equipment for coronavirus illness 2019 (COVID-19).

Based on the accessible evidence, the COVID-19 virus is conveyed between people through close contact and droplets, not by airborne broadcast. The people most at risk of contagion are those who are in close contact with a COVID-19 patient or who care for COVID-19 patients (WHO, February 27, 2020).

Even the U.S. Surgeon General is influence the public to stop purchasing face masks. As clinicians, we know what deceits ahead if there is a shortage of apposite PPE, but let’s break down the facts so we can teach those around us. Here’s what we know:

Coronavirus is feast through contact and droplets, not airborne transmission.

Particulate respirators, including N95 face masks, are indicated to protect against airborne transmission of contagion.

Proper use of N95 masks requires fit testing.

The Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use of N95 face masks by health care labors at the “highest risk of contracting or feeling complications of infection.”

In addition to health care labors, the use of proper face masks is vital for those directly caring for someone in near settings, including homes, and immunocompromised peoples.

By reducing supplies, those directly caring for patients with communicable disease – including COVID-19 – will be at risk for infection themselves and can donate to its spread.

Wearing N95 face masks unnecessarily can donate to a false sense of security, causing lapses in other events, such as hand washing, which has shown time and time again to be the most real method of decreasing infectious disease risk and feast.